West Haven men arrested in Hamden after attempted meat theft leads to heroin bust

Published 9:28 am, Tuesday, July 14, 2015

HAMDEN >> Two West Haven men are facing charges in Hamden after police say one tried to make off with several packages of meat and then got into a car containing 26 bags of heroin.

Joseph Kasfeldt, 32, and Jason Beardsley, 42, were arrested July 6 after a shoplifting incident was reported at the Stop & Shop on Dixwell Avenue, police spokesman Capt. Ronald Smith said in a press release Tuesday.

Smith said police responded to the grocery store around 7:30 p.m. on a report that a man — later identified as Kasfeldt — had tried to steal several packages of meat.

When a loss prevention officer confronted Kasfeldt, he reportedly dropped the meat and fled in a vehicle.

A short time later, a police officer spotted the vehicle in which Kasfeldt fled, traveling south on Dixwell Avenue, and pulled it over.

Police searched the vehicle, driven by Beardsley, and allegedly found 26 bags of heroin, which weighed 7.8 grams in total and had an estimated street value of $585.

Both men were charged with possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with the intent to sell, possession of narcotics within 1,500 feet of a school and conspiracy to possess narcotics with the intent to sell.

Kasfeldt was additionally charged with sixth-degree larceny for the alleged meat theft.

Both men live at the same address in the 100 block of Elm Street in West Haven. It was not immediately clear whether they are related.

Smith said both men were released after posting $5,000 bond and are to appear July 21 in Meriden court.